External description of the taj mahal. Taj Mahal is the greatest monument of love. Religious symbolism of the Taj Mahal

A great love story: Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal

Every year, the Taj Mahal in India is visited by about five million tourists. The creation of the greatest structure on Earth is associated with the name of Shah Jahan, the grandson of the great Mogul Akbar.

The name Shah Jahan, which means "ruler of the world", was given to his beloved son Khurram by his father. Even at a young age, the boy was engaged to Mumtaz Mahal, but it so happened that they fell in love with each other. And their love has passed the test of eternity ...

Shah Jahan had a large harem, but for him there were no other women except Mumtaz Mahal. Yes, he had children from other wives, but his feelings for these women could not be compared with his great love for the “chosen one of the palace” - this is how the name Mumtaz Mahal is translated. The fact that they were very close is recorded in all the palace chronicles, which is unusual for the Eastern world. After all, different kinds of love are preached among Muslims: love for God, for the ruler, for the country, but not romantic.

The happiness of the lovers did not last long. An uprising broke out in one of the remote provinces, and Shah Jahan went to suppress it. In all campaigns, Mumtaz Mahal accompanied her husband. But this trip was very difficult for her - she was pregnant. The birth was very difficult, and on June 17, 1631, after the birth of her fourteenth child, she died.

Shah Jahan's grief cannot be described in words. He did not leave his chambers for 8 days, did not eat anything and did not talk to anyone. During this time, he is very old and gray.

History of the creation of the Taj Mahal

According to legend, shortly before her death, Mumtaz Mahal asked her husband to build the most beautiful mausoleum in the world. This was the only thing that Shah Jahan could now do for his beloved ...

The construction of the Taj Mahal began in 1632, six months after the death of Mumtaz Mahal, and lasted twelve years. Huge amounts of money were spent on this project. The Taj Mahal is the most expensive structure ever built. About 32 million rupees was spent on the construction, which is now comparable to billions of euros. For the cladding of the building, the purest marble in the world was used, which was mined in the province of Rajasthan. Shah Jahan forbade the use of this marble in other construction sites of the Indian empire.

Because of the construction, famine began in the country: part of the grain that was intended for the provinces was sent to the construction site to provide food for the workers.

The construction of the Taj Mahal was completed in 1643. After that, the reign of Shah Jahan continued for quite a long time - until 1658. But it could not be called successful. The empire found itself in a very difficult economic situation. The son of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal deprived his father of power. Shah Jahan spent the rest of his life in the Red Fort, from the window of which he constantly looked at the tomb of the woman who became the love of his life ... The great Mughal ruler was buried next to his beloved wife.

Secrets of building the Taj Mahal

The Taj Mahal has been striking in its beauty for more than three hundred years. It can rightfully be called one of the most grandiose structures in the history of mankind. The ideas and solutions that were used in its construction are simply amazing! Especially when you consider that the Taj Mahal is several centuries old. But it is perfect in its beauty and precision. Where is the Taj Mahal and why is it worth visiting?

• The Taj Mahal is located in the city of Agra (about 250 km from Delhi) on the banks of the Jumna River. This place was not the most convenient for the construction of such a structure: the ground is unstable due to the proximity of water. Therefore, a unique technology was used, which is still used now only in a slightly modified form (for example, the use of piles in the construction of skyscrapers in the UAE).

Workers dug deep wells that passed through the groundwater layer. These wells were filled with stones and lime mortar. Stone columns were erected on this foundation, connected to each other by arches. The foundation slab of the building was placed on this structure.

• When designing the Taj Mahal, some optical illusions were used. To get to the territory of the Taj Mahal, you need to go through the arch of the entrance gate, through which the visitor sees the building for the first time. As you approach the arch, it seems that the Taj Mahal is moving away. Conversely, when the visitor leaves, he sees through the arch, as if the structure is approaching. This creates the effect that a person takes the Taj Mahal with him.
• It seems that the amazingly beautiful minarets of the Taj Mahal are located strictly vertically. But even here it was not without an optical trick! In fact, they are slightly deflected away from the building. If they stood strictly vertically, it would seem that they are leaning towards the mausoleum. But there is another advantage hidden in the chosen slope. In an earthquake, the minarets would have collapsed to the sides of the Taj Mahal without hitting it.
• The Taj Mahal combines the best elements of memorials built earlier by the representatives of the Mughal dynasty: minarets, a dome, four corner towers and four portals.
• The tomb, which is located under the main dome of the Taj Mahal, is not the actual burial place of Mumtaz Mahal. Her real tomb is located in a secret marble hall under the mausoleum. This was done so that no one would disturb the peace of the “chosen one of the palace”. The Qur'an says that one should not disturb the peace of the deceased.

Pietra fool

The decoration inside the Taj Mahal is made according to the Pietra Dura technique, which came to India from Italy. Amazing stone flowers made of gems adorn the walls of the halls and other elements of the building. Therefore, the Taj Mahal inside looks like a jewelry box.

At present, this art of stone cutting can be seen in Indian workshops. And the technology has not changed at all over the past few centuries.

Religious symbolism of the Taj Mahal

The Taj Mahal depicts the earthly and afterlife in accordance with the ideas of Islam. The whole complex is divided into 2 parts. The earthly part consists of bazaars and caravanserais, and the afterlife consists of the Garden of Eden and the mausoleum. The pond and the entrance gate, located between these two parts, symbolize the transition from one world to another.

The color scheme of the Taj Mahal is also very symbolic. The buildings of the earth part are made of red sandstone. White color is used only for the mausoleum and symbolizes spirituality and faith.

There are eight halls in the mausoleum, which symbolize the eight gates of paradise described in the Koran and one central one - it houses the tomb of Mumtaz Mahal.

What tourists need to know

The entire complex is surrounded by a secure wall, and at the entrance, visitors are carefully checked for prohibited items: food, lighters, cigarettes, chewing gum, mobile phones. So it's better to leave them at the hotel.

Photo: Wikipedia, Muhammad Mahdi Karim, Vetra,

The Taj Mahal mausoleum is one of the most recognizable landmarks not only in India but throughout the world. The construction was built by Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his beloved third wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who died during childbirth. The Taj Mahal is considered not only the most beautiful building in the world, but also a symbol of eternal love. It has no analogues in the whole world. The mausoleum was built around 1630-1652. More than 20,000 builders were called to build the Taj Mahal. There were masters not only from all over India, but also craftsmen from Central Asia, the Middle East and Persia were invited. It is believed that Shah Jahan himself participated in the construction of the tomb. Shah was a very educated person, a good artist, well versed in art.

(Taj Mahal, Agra, India)

Materials from all over Asia were used to create the crowning achievement of oriental architects. More than a thousand elephants were involved in their transportation. More than twenty-eight types of precious and semi-precious stones were used in the work on inlaying gems in white marble. Elements of Persian, Indian and Islamic architectural styles harmoniously fit into the Taj Mahal. The Taj Mahal (translated as ‘’Palace with a dome’’) is considered the most beautifully preserved and architecturally unique mausoleum in the world, a marble statue of eternal love.

(Taj Mahal, inside view)

I would like to note that the tomb of Mumtaz is somewhat reminiscent of a mosque. Indeed, in the Middle Ages, strict canons were adhered to in the architecture of the East, and this is indicated by openwork lancet-sloping arches, domes and minarets, intricate Arabic script, and a bizarre floral ornament on the facades of buildings. All these elements not only perfectly complemented each other, but miraculously fit into the strict symmetry of the mausoleum. The main material for construction is white marble, it was delivered on special carts from a deposit located 320 km from Agra.
The Taj Mahal is divinely majestic and shining like a luxurious pearl, having a height of the main tower of the mausoleum of 74 meters, it seems so light and airy, like a dandelion growing in the Yamuna River valley. The entire complex covers 42 acres. Each building, each element has its own place in this complex and fits perfectly into the main structure. According to the Qur'an, "4" is a holy number and therefore everything here is a multiple of four. The platform on which the complex stands is quite high and has the shape of a square (56x56 m), the corners of which are “cut off”. The main dome of the mausoleum goes up 64 meters, as if propping up the sky. It is surrounded by four smaller domes. On four sides of the mausoleum, 42-meter high minarets, like spiers, complete the composition. The white marble walls of the Taj Mahal shine in the golden glow of the sun.

(Taj Mahal, view from above)

The shining Taj Mahal is love sung and woven into the inlaid ornament of divine architecture. A monument of unprecedented beauty, a dream sung in a poem, mixed with pure love and embodied in marble. Its name is the "Pearl of India - Taj Mahal". It seems that from a single piece of huge white marble, the great architect of the past centuries created a luxurious and openwork cape of beautiful stone lace and, placing it on a stone pedestal, crowned it with a large dome. Throwing at him, finally, a handful of gems. What could be more beautiful and sadder than such a tomb for the most devoted Mumtaz.

(Taj Mahal, inside view)

Over time, it became the last refuge for Shah Jahan. It contains the remains of the Shah and his eternal love, his wife. A staircase leads to the very heart of the tomb, and each pilgrim enters this temple of eternal love barefoot. There is always silence and peace here, you forget about everything, enjoying the snow-white marble walls, inlaid with mosaics of jasper, jade and black marble. On the walls, drooping flowers intertwined in an intricate dance, encircling the floor and walls with an eternal carpet. Even in modern times, every corner of the mausoleum is pompous with wealth, although even here there were marauders. The doors of silver, the parapet of gold, and the cloth studded with pearls were all plundered.
If the Taj Mahal is a gem, then it must have a decent setting as a park. Initially, it was a garden, but during the colonization by the British, craftsmen from Europe gave it the appearance of a majestic park. The park was created as a harmonious ensemble framing the Taj. In its center is a luxurious and snow-white marble pool, as if it divides the entire territory of the park into four exact halves, and they, in turn, are divided into an equal number of sections. A long irrigation canal rests against the facade of the Taj, dividing the entire ensemble into two equal halves. To the four minarets of the Taj, there are four paths lined with tiles. If you look at the complex from a bird's eye view, it may seem that the park repeats the bizarre forms of the mausoleum. And at the same time, the general symmetry of both the shrine and the park is not broken.

(Taj Mahal, top view)

Even now, after many centuries, the "Pearl of India - the Taj Mahal" that has come down to us plays for us with the most delicate mother-of-pearl tints in the morning and evening dawn, remaining majestic and unique. By day, the creamy white marble walls radiate a golden hue as they catch the midday sun. But at night, the mausoleum, like a veiled purple haze, is a fairy tale descended from 1001 nights. When the morning comes, the Taj is reflected in the quiet water ripples of the Yamuna River and it seems that it majestically aspires upward to heaven.

The Taj Mahal is known all over the world and has been attracting many tourists for 350 years. The silhouette, familiar from countless photographs, has become a symbol of India. It seems that the Taj Mahal is floating between heaven and earth: its proportions, symmetry, surrounding gardens and a mirror of waters make an unprecedented impression.

The monument erected by the Sultan in honor of his beloved wife is not only striking in its appearance, but also in the history that accompanied the construction of the mausoleum.

History of the Taj Mahal mausoleum

In 1612, Prince Khurram (the future ruler of Shah Jahan, whose name means "Lord of the Universe"), married the beautiful Mumtaz Mahal. According to one version, the future princess was a commoner, but the prince, seeing her eyes, simply could not resist. According to another, more likely version, Mumtaz Mahal was the niece of Jahan's mother and the daughter of the first vizier.

The lovers could not get married right away: according to local tradition, the wedding ceremony could take place only with a favorable arrangement of the stars, so Shah Jahan and his beloved had to wait for a happy day for five whole years, during which they never saw each other.

Shah Jahan ascended the throne in 1628. As befits a ruler, he had a large number of wives, but Mumtaz Mahal remained the most beloved. She accompanied him even on distant military campaigns, was the only person whom he completely trusted.

In 1629, having given birth to the 14th child, the wife of the ruler of Shah Jahan, known as Mumtaz Mahal ("Chosen by the Palace"), died. It happened in a tent pitched in a camp near Burkhanpur

She was 36 years old, of which 17 she was married. It should be noted that for a woman in those days it was a respectable age, and frequent childbirth undermined health. So a rare woman in India lived to be forty.

Sultan Shah Jahan was very sad, because he lost not only his beloved wife, but also a wise adviser who helped him in the most difficult political situations. There is evidence that he wore mourning for her for two years, and his hair turned gray from grief. The Sultan took an oath to build a grave monument worthy of the memory of his wife, completely unusual, with which nothing in the world can compare.

The city of Agra, which in the 17th century was considered the capital on a par with Delhi, was chosen as the place for the future mausoleum. The place was chosen surprisingly well: no one has yet caused serious damage to the mausoleum.

In 1632, construction began, which lasted more than 20 years. More than 20,000 workers were employed here. Many skilled masons, stone cutters and jewelers rushed to Agra from all over India and Western. Ismail Khan from designed the magnificent dome. Lines from the Holy Koran on various parts of the mausoleum - for example, at the main entrance to the Taj Mahal, were made by the famous calligrapher Amanat Khan Shirazi. The main executors of the mosaic work were five Hindus.

The chief architect Ustad (meaning "master") Isa Khan was given unlimited powers. It should be noted that not everyone agrees that it was Isa Khan who was the architect, assuring that she was not so technically advanced as to be able to independently build such a perfect temple. Supporters of this version say that most likely some invited Venetian master supervised the construction. Like it or not, now it is unlikely to be established. There is no information about who supervised the construction in any document. Only the inscription on the Taj Mahal itself remained, which reads: "The builder was not a mere mortal, for the construction plan was given to him by heaven."

At the direction of Shah Jahan, only the best were selected for the memorial in honor of his beloved wife. All materials for the mausoleum were delivered from afar. Sandstone was delivered to Agra from Sikri, semi-precious stones - from the mines of India, Persia and Central Asia. Jade was brought from, amethyst from, malachite from Russia, carnelian from Baghdad, turquoise from Persia and Tibet.

The white marble from which the Taj Mahal is made was delivered from the quarries of Makrana, located 300 kilometers from Agra. Some of the marble blocks were huge, and for transportation they were loaded into huge wooden carts, which were harnessed by several dozen buffaloes and oxen.

White marble is the basis of the entire Taj Mahal. From above, the walls were covered with thousands of precious and semi-precious stones, and black marble was used for calligraphic ornaments. It is thanks to this processing that the building is not pure white, as it is depicted in many photographs, but shimmers with many shades, depending on how the light falls on it.

Even in our time, the building of the mausoleum creates a feeling of unprecedented luxury, although earlier it looked even richer. Once the doors to the Taj Mahal were made of silver, with hundreds of small silver studs hammered into them. Inside there was a parapet of gold, and a cloth studded with pearls lay on the tomb of the princess, set on the very site of her burning. Unfortunately, it was all stolen. When Lord Lake occupied Agra in 1803, his dragoons carried 44,000 "tol" of pure gold from the Taj Mahal. British soldiers took out a lot of precious stones from the walls of the mausoleum. As Lord Curzon testifies, "It was customary for soldiers, armed with a chisel and hammer, to pick out precious stones from the tombstone of the emperor and his beloved wife in broad daylight." After becoming Viceroy of India, Lord Curzon introduced laws that saved the Taj Mahal and thousands of other monuments from total destruction.

When construction came to an end, in 1653, the aging ruler gave the order to proceed with the construction of a second building - a mausoleum for himself. The second mausoleum was supposed to be an exact copy of the first, but made of marble, and between the two mausoleums there was to be a black marble bridge. But the second mausoleum was never erected: the people began to grumble - the country was already impoverished from numerous internal wars, and the ruler spends a lot of money on such buildings.

In 1658, Aurangzeb's son seized power and kept his father under house arrest for nine years in Agra Fort, an octagonal tower. From there, Shah Jahan could see the Taj Mahal. Here, at dawn on January 23, 1666, Shah Jahan died, not taking his eyes off his beloved creation until the last moment. After his death, he was reunited with his beloved again - according to the will, he was buried next to, in the same crypt with Mumtaz Mahal.

Features of the structure of the Taj Mahal mausoleum

Airiness is created by proportions unusual for us - the height is equal to the width of the facade, and the facade itself is cut through by huge semicircular niches and seems weightless. The width of the building is equal to its total height - 75 meters, and the distance from the floor level to the parapet above the arched portals is half the entire height. You can draw many more lines and discover a number of amazing patterns and correspondences in the proportions of the Taj Mahal, equal in height to a twenty-story building, but by no means overwhelming in size.

This absolutely symmetrical octagonal building is 57 meters in perimeter, it is topped by a central dome 24.5 meters high and 17 meters in diameter. When the giant dome was being erected, for more convenient delivery of the necessary materials to a greater height, a sloping earth embankment 3.6 kilometers long was built according to the project of Ismail Khan.

The remains of Mumtaz Mahal are buried in a dungeon, just under the very center of a large white dome, shaped like a flower bud. The Mughals were followers of Islam, and in Islamic art, the dome points the way to heaven. An exact copy of the sarcophagus has been installed at the floor level so that visitors can honor the memory of the Empress without disturbing the peace in her tomb.

The entire park is surrounded by a fence on three sides. The entrance made of stone is decorated with a white patterned "portico", and "covered" with 11 domes on top, on the sides there are two towers, also crowned with white domes.

The Taj Mahal is located in the middle of a park (its area is almost 300 sq. m), which can be accessed through a large gate, symbolizing the entrance to paradise. The park is arranged in the form of a road that leads directly to the entrance to the Taj Mahal. In the middle of this "road" is a large marble pool, with an irrigation canal stretched to it. During the time of Shah Jahan, ornamental fish swam in the pool, and peacocks and other exotic birds strode solemnly along the paths. Guards, dressed in white clothes and armed with blowguns, guarded the garden from birds of prey.

The mausoleum is located in the center of a vast rectangular area (length 600 m, width 300 m). The short north side runs along the banks of the Jumna River. On the south side, a third of the territory is occupied by outbuildings and ends with a monumental gate leading into the walled area that makes up most of the rectangle.

The facades of the mausoleum are decorated with sloping lancet arches. In addition, the so-called "stalactites" are used here - joints of small cantilever niches hanging over each other. Stalactites support projecting forms and are located at the base of the dome, in niches, under the cornices and on the capitals of the columns. They are made of plaster or terracotta and create an exceptionally subtle play of chiaroscuro.

A wide staircase leads to the very center of the facade. It is customary to leave shoes at its base, as before entering the temple.

The inside of the building is no less beautiful than the outside. The snow-white walls are decorated with stones and intricate patterns. Fourteen surahs from the Koran - a traditional decoration for Muslim architecture - are crowned with arches above the windows. On the walls are garlands of unfading stone flowers. In the center is a carved marble screen, behind which two false tombs are visible. In the very middle is placed the chamber of the tomb, which has a square with beveled corners in plan. The chamber contains the cenotaphs of the Taj Mahal and Shah Jahan, surrounded by an openwork marble fence.

Mausoleum Taj Mahal today

The Taj Mahal mausoleum is the most visited place in India. Thousands of tourists come here from all over the world. From all four sides of the mausoleum, police officers are on duty, who vigilantly monitor all visitors. They guard the entrance to the upper platforms of the mausoleum (before this passage was closed, dozens of suicides jumped from the minarets, most often the reason was unrequited love - symbolically, because the Taj Mahal is also called the "temple of love"). The police also make sure that tourists do not take pictures of the building up close, since the Taj Mahal is recognized as a national shrine.

It should be noted that scientists are seriously concerned about the future of the mausoleum. In October 2004, two Indian historians issued a warning that the Taj Mahal was tilting and could collapse or subside if the authorities in the state of Uttar Pradesh, where the famous mausoleum is located, did not occupy the area immediately adjacent to the monument of architecture. Of particular concern is the Jumna, located next to the Taj Mahal. This is due to the drying up of the riverbed. The Government of India has promised to allocate a sufficient amount for special works.

It is undeniably necessary to protect this architectural monument. After all, this is not only the most famous mausoleum, but also one of the most beautiful buildings on earth. traveler Edward Lear, who visited India in the middle of the 19th century, wrote in his diary: "All people in the world are divided into two groups - those who have seen the Taj Mahal, and those who have not been honored with this happiness."

Taj Mahal is one of the greatest monuments of India, built in the name of love and devotion to a woman of extraordinary beauty. Having no analogues of its greatness, it reflects the wealth of an entire era in the history of the state. The white marble building was the last gift of the Mongol Emperor Shah Jahan to his late wife, Mumtaz Mahal. The emperor ordered to find the best craftsmen and instructed them to create a mausoleum, the beauty of which would have no analogues in the world. Today it is included in the list of the seven most majestic monuments in the world. Constructed of white marble and adorned with semi-precious stones and gold, the Taj Mahal has become one of the most magnificent buildings in the world of architecture. It is instantly recognizable and one of the most photographed structures in the world.

The Taj Mahal has become a pearl of Muslim culture in India and one of the universally recognized world masterpieces. For centuries, it has inspired poets, artists, and musicians who have tried to translate its invisible magic into words, paintings, and music. Since the 17th century, people have traveled across the continents to see and enjoy this amazing monument of love. Centuries later, it still captivates visitors with the charm of its architecture, which tells the story of a mysterious love story.

The Taj Mahal (translated as "Palace with a dome") is today considered the most well-preserved and architecturally beautiful mausoleum in the world. Some call the Taj "an elegy in marble", for many it is an eternal symbol of unfading love. The English poet Edwin Arnold called it "not a work of architecture, like other buildings, but the emperor's love torments embodied in living stones," and the Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore considered it "a tear on the cheek of eternity."

Creator of the Taj Mahal

The fifth Mughal emperor Shah Jahan left behind many remarkable architectural monuments associated with the appearance of India in the eyes of the modern world: the Pearl Mosque in Agra, Shahjahanabad (now known as Old Delhi), Diwan-e-Am and Diwan-e-Khas in the citadel Red fort in Delhi. The famous Peacock Throne of the Great Mughals, according to the descriptions of contemporaries, was considered the most luxurious throne in the world. But the most famous of all the surviving monuments was the Taj Mahal, which immortalized his name forever.

Shah Jahan had several wives. In 1607 he was engaged to Arjumanad Banu Begam. The young girl at that time was only 14 years old. 5 years after the engagement, the wedding took place. During the wedding ceremony, Shah Jahan's father, Jahangir, gave his daughter-in-law the name Mumtaz Mahal (translated as "Pearl of the Palace").

According to the official chronicler of Qazvini, Jahan's relationship with other wives "was nothing more than the status of marriage. The intimacy, deep affection, attention and favor that His Majesty felt for Mumtaz was a thousand times greater than the feelings towards any other."

Shah Jahan, "Emperor of the Universe", was a great patron of trade and crafts, science and architecture, art and gardens. He took over the empire after his father's death in 1628 and earned a reputation as a merciless ruler. Through a number of successful military campaigns, Shah Jahan greatly expanded the Mughal Empire. The magnificence and richness of Jahan's court amazed European travelers. At the height of his reign, he was considered the most powerful man on earth.

But the personal life of the powerful emperor was overshadowed by the loss of his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal during childbirth in 1631. Legend has it that he promised his dying wife to build the most beautiful mausoleum, incomparable to anything else in the world. So it was in fact or not, Shah Jahan embodied his love and wealth in the creation of just such a monument.

Shah Jahan watched the beautiful creation until the end of his days, but as a prisoner, not a ruler. His son Aurangzeb seized the throne in 1658 and imprisoned his natural father in the Red Fort of Agra. The only consolation was the opportunity to look at the Taj Mahal from the window of his imprisonment. In 1666, before his death, Shah Jahan asked to fulfill his last wish: to be carried to a window overlooking the Taj Mahal, where he again whispered the name of his beloved.

Mumtaz Mahal

She married five years after her engagement, on May 10, 1612. The date was chosen by court astrologers as the most auspicious day for a happy marriage. The marriage bonds of Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan turned out to be happy for both newlyweds. Even during her lifetime, poets praised her beauty, harmony and mercy. Mumtaz became a trusted companion of Shah Jahan, traveling with him throughout the Mughal Empire. Only the war was the only reason for their separation. In the future, even the war ceased to separate them. She became a support, love and consolation for the emperor, an inseparable companion of her husband until her death.

For 19 years of marriage, Mumtaz gave birth to 14 children, but the last, fourteenth birth became fatal for her. Mumtaz dies, her body is temporarily buried in Burhanpur.

The chroniclers of the imperial court paid unusually much attention to Jahan's worries in connection with the death of his wife. The emperor was inconsolable in his grief. After the death of Mumtaz, Shah Jahan spent a year in seclusion. When he finally came to his senses, his hair turned gray, his back was bent, and his face was old. The emperor stopped listening to music, wearing jewelry and richly decorated clothes, and using perfume for several years.

Shah Jahan died eight years after the accession of Aurangzeb's son to the throne. "My father tortured great affection for my mother, let his last resting place be next to her," Aurangzeb declared and ordered his father to be buried next to Mumtaz Mahal.

There is a legend that Shah Jahan planned to build a black marble replica on the opposite side of the Yamuna River. But these plans are not destined to turn into reality.

Creation of the Taj Mahal

In December 1631, Shah Jahan started building the Taj Mahal. Its construction was the fulfillment of a promise given to Mumtaz Mahal in the last moments of her life: to build a monument that would match her beauty. The central mausoleum was completed in 1648, and the construction of the entire complex was completed five years later, in 1653.

History hides who exactly owns the layout of the Taj Mahal. In the Islamic world at that time, the construction of buildings was attributed to the customer of the construction, and not to its architect. Based on the sources, it can be confidently stated that a team of architects worked on the project. Like most great monuments, the Taj Mahal is a clear testament to the excessive wealth and excess of its creator. 20,000 workers worked for 22 years to make Shah Jahan's fantasies come true. Sculptors came from Bukhara, calligraphers from Syria and Persia, inlaid work was done by craftsmen from southern India, stonemasons came from Balochistan. Materials were brought from all over India and Central Asia.

Architecture of the Taj Mahal

Taj Mahal consists of the following complex of buildings:

Darwaza (main entrance)
Rauza (mausoleum)
Bageecha (gardens)
Masjid (mosque)
Naqqar Khana (guest house)

The mosque and the guest house built for symmetry surround the mausoleum on both sides. The marble building is surrounded by four minarets leaning slightly outward, a design feature designed to prevent the central dome from being damaged if destroyed. The complex is located in a garden with a large swimming pool, which reflects what no architect in the world has been able to repeat - a copy of the beauty of the Taj Mahal.

The Taj Mahal is surrounded by a beautifully landscaped garden. The Islamic style garden is not just one of the components of the complex. The followers of Muhammad lived in vast expanses of arid lands under the hot sun, so the walled garden personified Paradise on Earth. It covers most of the complex: out of a total area of ​​580x300 m, the garden occupies 300x300 m.

Since the number "4" is considered a holy number in Islam, the location of the Taj Mahal garden is based on the number four and its multiples. Channels and a central pond divide the garden into four parts. Each quarter has 16 flowerbeds (64 in total) separated by walkways. The trees in the garden are either cypress (meaning death) or fruit (meaning life), all arranged in a symmetrical order.

The trees of the Taj Garden are either of the cypress family (meaning death) or the fruit family (meaning life), all arranged in a symmetrical order. The Taj Mahal is located at the northern end of the garden, not in the center. In fact, in the center of the garden, between the Taj and its central gates, there is an artificial reservoir that reflects the mausoleum in its waters.

History of the Taj Mahal after construction

By the middle of the 19th century, the Taj Mahal had become a place of pleasure. Women danced on the terrace, and the mosque with the guest house was rented out to the newlyweds. The British, along with the Indians, plundered the rich carpets, semi-precious stones, silver doors and tapestries that once adorned the mausoleum. Vacationers often came armed with a hammer and chisel to better extract pieces of agate and carnelian from stone flowers.
For a while it seemed that the monument, like the Mughals themselves once, might disappear. In 1830, Lord William Bentinck (Governor General of India at the time) planned to dismantle the Taj Mahal and sell its marble. It is said that only the absence of potential buyers prevented the destruction of the mausoleum.

In 1857, during the Indian uprising, the Taj Mahal suffered even more damage. By the end of the 19th century, it finally fell into disrepair. The territory without care was overgrown, the graves were defiled by vandals.

After years of decline, the British Governor-General of India, Lord Curzon, organized a massive restoration project that ended in 1908. The building was repaired, the garden and canals restored. The restoration of the monument helped restore its former glory.

It is customary to scold the British for their dismissive attitude towards the Taj Mahal, but the Indians did not treat their treasure much better. As the population of Agra increased, the monument began to suffer from pollution and acid rain, which discolored its white marble. In the late 1990s, the monument's future was in serious jeopardy when the Supreme Court of India ordered the removal of particularly hazardous industries outside the city.
The Taj Mahal is considered the best example of Mughal architecture, combining elements of Persian, Indian, and Islamic architectural schools. In 1983, the monument was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, calling it "the pearl of Muslim art in India and one of the masterpieces of world heritage, causing universal admiration."

The Taj Mahal has become India's most identifiable symbol, attracting around 2.5 million tourists annually. It is one of the most recognizable monuments in the world. The history behind its construction makes it one of the greatest monuments of love ever built in the world.

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On July 7, 2007 in Lisbon (Portugal) the new seven wonders of the world were named and the mausoleum-mosque Taj Mahal was included in this list. It is located in Agra (India) near the Jumna River. The easiest way to get to the Taj Mahal is to fly to Delhi and from there take a bus, taxi or train to your destination. The journey by train takes up to 3 hours, by taxi 3-5 hours. It is considered a crime if you visit India and do not see the Taj Mahal.

It is simply impossible to describe the magnificence and beauty of this mosque in words. This is a truly fabulous and beautiful architectural structure that combines elements of Islamic, Persian and Indian architectural style.

The emergence of the Taj Mahal is the story of the tender love of Shah Jahan, the Mughal king, for his wife Mumtaz Mahal. Even Prince Shah Jahan married a 19-year-old girl, and his love for her was boundless. Despite the possession of a large harem, he gave all his tenderness and attention to only one Mumtaz. She bore him 14 children, six girls and eight boys. But during the last birth, Jahan's wife died. Shah Jahan's grief was so great that he lost the meaning of life, turned gray, declared 2 years of mourning and even wanted to commit suicide.

Over the grave of his wife, on the orders of Shah Jahan, the most beautiful Taj Mahal palace was built in which, a few years later, he himself was buried near the grave of his wife. Taj Mahal is not just a wonder of the world, it is a symbol of the eternal love of two people. Shah Jahan promised before his wife's death to create a monument that would convey all the beauty of Mumtaz.

Construction and architecture of the Taj Mahal

History does not answer the question of who built this mosque. The fact is that in the Islamic world of that period, all the ideas of the building were attributed not to the architect, but to the customer. A group of architects worked on the mosque, but the main idea belongs to Ustad Ahmad Lahauri. The construction of the palace began in 1631 in December. The construction of the central mausoleum was completed in 1648, and 5 years later the construction of the entire complex was completed. Over 22 years, about 20 thousand people took part in the construction of the Taj Mahal. More than a thousand elephants were used to transport materials from India and Asia. Blocks of marble were dragged by bulls along a specially built 15-kilometer ramp made of rammed earth. Sculptors from Bukhara, masons from Balochistan, inlay masters from South India, calligraphers from Persia and Syria, as well as specialists and craftsmen in cutting marble ornaments and erecting towers worked at the construction site.

The Taj Mahal is considered "the pearl of Muslim art in India". The most famous component of the palace is its white marble dome, also known as the onion dome because of its appearance. Its height is 35 meters. His crown is in the Islamic style (horns of the month pointing upwards) and was originally made of gold, but in the 19th century it was replaced with a bronze copy.

The height of the mosque itself is 74 meters and is represented by a five-domed structure with four minarets at the corners. The minarets are slightly tilted in the opposite direction from the tomb, so as not to damage it during the destruction. A garden with a swimming pool and fountains adjoins the building. Inside the mausoleum there are two tombs, which are located strictly above the burial place of the shah and his wife. The walls of the palace are made of marble inlaid with gems (carnelian, agate, malachite, turquoise, etc.). And in the rays of light, the walls are simply mesmerizing. In sunny weather, marble looks white, on a moonlit night it becomes silvery, and at dawn - pink.

The exterior of the Taj Mahal is considered one of the finest examples of architecture. Various plasters, paints, carvings and stone inlays were used to create the decorative elements of the mosque. Also, excerpts from the Koran were used for the decorative and artistic design of the complex. On the gates of the Taj Mahal is inscribed: “O you, the soul of rest! Return to your Lord contented and satisfied! Enter with My servants. Enter My Paradise!"

The interior of the palace used a huge amount of semi-precious and precious stones. The inner hall of the Taj Mahal is a perfect octagon. The height of the walls is 25 meters, and the ceiling is decorated in the form of the sun and is represented by an inner dome.

The only asymmetric element of the complex is the cenotaph of Shah Jahan, which is located near the grave of his wife. It was completed later and is larger than the cenotaph of Mumtaz, but decorated with the same decorative elements. On the gravestone of Mumtaz, calligraphic inscriptions are made that praise her, and on the grave of Jahan it is written: "He went on a journey from this world to the abode of Eternity on the night of the twenty-sixth day, the month of Rajab, 1076."

The architectural complex is adjoined by a magnificent garden, which stretches for 300 meters in length. In the center of the park there is a water channel lined with marble and there is a pond in the middle of it. It reflects the image of the tomb. Initially, the garden struck with its abundance of vegetation, but over time, the landscaping of the garden has changed.

Myths and legends

There is a legend that Shah Jahan wanted to build an exact copy of the black marble palace on the opposite bank of the river, but did not have time. There is also a myth that the emperor brutally killed architects and craftsmen who took part in the construction of the palace, and all the builders signed an agreement in which they pledged not to take part in the construction of such a structure. But to date, such information has not been confirmed by anything and remains just a fiction and a legend.

Tourism

Every year the Taj Mahal mosque is visited by millions of tourists from different countries. Tourists are interested in the fact about its optical focus. If you move backwards towards the exit, respectively, facing the palace, then there is a feeling that the mausoleum is simply huge against the backdrop of trees and the environment. And by the way, planes are not allowed to fly over the Taj Mahal. The mosque is open to the public from 6 am to 7 pm on weekdays, except Friday, when prayers are held there. Also, the Taj Mahal is open for night viewing on the day of the full moon, including two days before and after the full moon, except for Friday and the month of Ramadan.